Frosty Punkins

Pumpkins

Punkins in honor of Mr. James Whitcomb Riley (1853–1916) It is tradition on my DH's side to read this poem during the fall. Thank you to Mom and Dad M. for opening up their home and letting us all gather for wonderful family fellowship and to C. and A. for providing the pumpkins for all the kids!!! Enjoy!!

When the Frost is on the Punkin

When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock,
And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin' turkey-cock,
And the clackin' of the guineys, and the cluckin' of the hens,
And the rooster's hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence;
O, it's then the time a feller is a-feelin' at his best,
With the risin' sun to greet him from a night of peaceful rest,
As he leaves the house, bareheaded, and goes out to feed the stock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

They's something kindo' harty-like about the atmusfere
When the heat of summer's over and the coolin' fall is here—
Of course we miss the flowers, and the blossoms on the trees,
And the mumble of the hummin'-birds and buzzin' of the bees;
But the air's so appetizin'; and the landscape through the haze
Of a crisp and sunny morning of the airly autumn days
Is a pictur' that no painter has the colorin' to mock—
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

The husky, rusty russel of the tossels of the corn,
And the raspin' of the tangled leaves as golden as the morn;
The stubble in the furries—kindo' lonesome-like, but still
A-preachin' sermuns to us of the barns they growed to fill;
The strawstack in the medder, and the reaper in the shed;
The hosses in theyr stalls below—the clover overhead!—
O, it sets my hart a-clickin' like the tickin' of a clock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

Then your apples all is gethered, and the ones a feller keeps
Is poured around the cellar-floor in red and yaller heaps;
And your cider-makin's over, and your wimmern-folks is through
With theyr mince and apple-butter, and theyr souse and sausage too!...
I don't know how to tell it—but ef such a thing could be
As the angels wantin' boardin', and they'd call around on me—
I'd want to 'commodate 'em—all the whole-indurin' flock—
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

We carved our pumpkins and had such a wonderful fun filled fall evening with the family. Who doesn't love fall...well I'm sure there's a few out there who don't....but I'm not one of them!

We roasted the pumpkin seeds this year too. If you have never tried this you really should! They are SO good (and not to mention so good for you) and cost way too much at the store! Plus you were going to throw them away anyway, right? So why not :)

Recipe:
Wash your pumpkin seeds in a colander...get as much pulp off as possible...then rinse. They will still feel slimy but that's OK and normal. Dry them some in a towel then dump into a large bowel. Coat with olive oil -how much depends on how many seeds you do. Just coat them well....this helps the salt stick and keeps them from sticking to the pan. Sprinkle with sea salt. Cook in a single layer in a 325 oven for 30 to 50 mins....turning every 10 mins. You want them to dry out and be a light golden brown color....SO GOOD! You can add things like garlic and herbs when you add the salt...or go sweet and add sugar and cinnamon...we like them savory here more!

Happy Fall Y"All